


And She Never Wanted To Leave

by Akifall



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Brienne is the Best, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Family Dynamics, King Bran Stark, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s08e06 The Iron Throne, Post-Time Skip, Regret, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 19:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18901504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akifall/pseuds/Akifall
Summary: At 53, having lived to see King Brandon Stark's reign endBrienne Of Tarth finally lets death take her.





	And She Never Wanted To Leave

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I wrote this in like 2 hours, I have so many feels at the moment.   
> I'll come back and brush it up a bit. Jaime loves Brienne, it's canon- *fingers in ears while people scream at me*

It's been 20 years since they put the cloak on her.

20 years since King Bran brought his council together and named her Commander Of The Kingsguard.

They had put the white cloak on her and had charged her with protecting King Brandon Stark, first of his name.

She did her best- and Bran admired her throughout his many years as King.

The first to go had been Ser Bronn Of The Blackwater, who's cheap visits to the brothel eventually caused his death within the year.

He had died doing what he loved most- the smile of his face when he passed still haunted many.

Next was Ser Davos- who's old age caught up to him.

Brienne had spent the evenings at his bed-side and relearned the tale of the courageous onion knight.

The night before he died, he had reached for the tiny wooden stag on his bedside and had begged for forgiveness- Brienne took his hand and told him that he was forgiven.

The smile on his face was one of utter relief and love.

Brienne made damn sure that his gravemarker listed him alongside his beloved daughter 'Shireen'- so that they would never be forgotten.

Next to go was Tyrion.

By then Brienne was pushing her way through her 40th name day.

Tyrion had been ill for many months before he was retired as hand.

Tyrion had been a thorn in Brienne's mourning- she had never forgotten Jaime and had loved no other besides him.

They were each a constant a reminder of what he could have been.

On Tyrion's last day, he summoned Brienne to his chambers.

They finally spoke of Jaime, reopening wounds that had never really healed and had laughed or cried at the decade-old memories.

When night came, Brienne made to leave when his hand caught hers.

"Stay with me, please," Tyrion begged. He was scared, his body trembling with sickness, and at that point, she realized that she was possibly the closest he had to a family.

In another life, they might have even been brother and sister.

Brienne decided to follow that fantasy, to give Tyrion his brother's happy ending.

Brienne told Tyrion about the life she dreamed with Jaime, about the children they would have, blonde and beautiful cubs running around Tarth shores.

In those moments she allowed Tyrion into her dream world- and by the time she finally snapped out of it, Tyrion was staring back at her- relief frozen on his face- forever.

That had been 12 years ago- and Brienne was pushing 52.

She was old and clumsy now- her body too weak to really support the golden armor she was meant to wear. She knew that she was dying- and quite honestly- it felt like a relief.

Still, she persisted through her 53 years to see the end of King Bran's reign.

He had been the last to go- Brienne had taken his hand upon request and he had smiled at her- wisdom sparkling in his eyes.

"He loves you. He always has." He said and Brienne couldn't quite understand what the words meant.

Finally, when her day came, Podrick was at her beside- tears rolling down his cheeks and he begged her not to leave him.

"Ser- you- you are like a mother to me." He confessed and they bumped foreheads and cried together.

"I love you- I love you." Pod whispered to her as she began to fade.

"I love you to." Brienne mumbled, eyes slipping shut- her last sight was of her beloved son.

-

_Brienne opened her eyes to thunderous applause._

_The hall she stood in was familiar in a fragmented way- to the right- stood the hall of Tarth, to the left was the hall of Winterfell and behind her was the Red-keep._

_Snow and ash blew with sand and rain, and people that she knew but couldn't remember danced with her._

_Until she did recognize some of them._

_First, she danced with Renly, who gently thanked her for avenging him before she let him go and spun into the grip of Bronn, who gave her a quick twirl before passing her along to Margery._

_Sandor, Sansa, Ser Davos, Tormund, even Bran danced with her for a brief moment._

_When Bran gently let her go, she turned into the grip of her father and when they danced she felt at peace._

_He let her go eventually, brushing a tear from her cheek before he stepped aside and there was Jaime Lannister in the distance behind him._

_He was standing near Tyrion who was smiling warmly at Brienne and nudging his brother._

_Jaime grinned before starting to walk towards Brienne._

_Brienne squeezed her fathers hand before letting go and soon they were both running towards each other. Jaime caught her in his grip- and she cried in his arms- finally letting down her walls again._

_"I'm so proud of you Brienne." He said and he cupped her face._

_"I love you, so stay with me, please," Jaime whispered, and he pushed their heads together gazing up into her beautiful eyes._

_"Always," Brienne responded._

**_and she never wanted to leave._ **

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so tiredddddd- why can't I write something a bit happier for once damnit! Also, I love Pod and Brienne's relationship, I do hope he tells her he loves her before she dies because she needs to know that someone does. 
> 
> The part at the end is reflecting Jenny of the old stones. Brienne's adventure starts with a dance with Renly and ends with Jaime dancing with her.


End file.
